Stacks Image 499
Point-of-care Ultrasound (POCUS) North Shore is the department’s special interest group that coordinates teaching, learning, and organises specific workshops for POCUS in Anaesthesia.

A "full stomach" is a major risk factor for aspiration under sedation or anaesthesia, with the lack of an objective tool to assess gastric content limiting risk assessment to patient history alone. Gastric POCUS is an emerging point-of-care tool that provides objective information no gastric content and volume. It is a brief, focused procedure performed at the bedside, and allows the clinician to make a more informed decision for the safe care of their patients.

We were the first institution in Australasia to offer a dedicated gastric POCUS workshop. Participants will receive hands-on training, immediate feedback, experience in scanning different gastric states, a formative assessment, and a comprehensive handbook for future reference. Our workshop is suitable for clinicians practicing in anaesthesia, intensive care, or emergency medicine.

Convener: Dr Nav Sidhu
Faculty: Dr Manson Ku, Dr Sam Wall, Dr Catherine White

Trainees receive a 20% discount on fees for our workshops.


Academic Activity

Research and publications related to gastric ultrasound from our department:

Development of a direct observation of procedural skills tool for gastric ultrasound
Sidhu NS, White C, Pozaroszczyk
Anaesthesia 2022; 77(6):712-714

'Water challenge' to improve diagnostic accuracy in gastric point-of-care ultrasound
Sidhu NS
Anaesthesia Reports 2022; 10:e12192

Atypical gastric ultrasound appearance immediately after food intake
Sidhu NS, Robertson K
Anaesthesia Reports 2022; 10:e12191

Gastric Antral Screening To determine Residual Internal Contents (GASTRIC-1)
Kim JY, Nixon C, Campbell D, Sidhu N
Poster presentation at ANZCA Annual Scientific Meeting 2019, Kuala Lumpur


Upcoming Gastric POCUS workshops


Monday, 7th August 2023, 0815-1230
Whenua Pupuke, North Shore Hospital, Auckland
Register here


Workshop fee: $595 incl. GST (Note that fee for trainees is $476 incl. GST)

Once registered using the online form below, please make payment to Pupuke Anaesthesia Trust, 03-0181-0013547-00 with 'yourlastname-POCUS' as reference. A tax invoice / receipt will be emailed once this has been processed. In the event a workshop if cancelled due to lack of participants, you will be informed a month in advance and given a full refund. If the event is cancelled or if you are unable to travel to to government-imposed Covid-19 restrictions, course fees will be refunded. If you are unable to attend, please inform us at the earliest instance. Fees will not be refunded if you cancel less than a month before the workshop.



For further enquires, please email us at pocus.northshore@gmail.com

ANZCA CPD points can be claimed for the course under the Knowledge and Skills category for 'Short format learning & PBLDs' (2 credits per hour) and 'Journal reading' for the course pre-reading material (1 credit per hour)